Quick Answer: Yes. You can file a Florida LLC directly through Sunbiz without any service by submitting Articles of Organization online and paying the 125FloridaLLCfilingfee(100 plus a $25 registered agent designation fee). If you file directly, you handle the name search, get your registered agent’s signed acceptance, and fix any rejection yourself using the tracking number and PIN the state emails you, and Florida won’t refund a submitted filing. For first-time founders weighing Sunbiz against an LLC Filing service, ZenBusiness is the top pick because its Starter package costs the same $125 as filing directly, reviews each filing under a 100% accuracy guarantee, and includes a free first year of annual report filing.
This comparison is for Florida founders deciding between filing on Sunbiz themselves, paying a full-service provider, or filing directly and adding only the services they need, such as a registered agent or annual report filing. We evaluated five LLC Filing services, ZenBusiness, Sunshine Corporate Filings, InCorp, MyCompanyWorks, and UpCounsel, on four criteria: cost on top of the $125 Sunbiz fee, whether each can be added after a DIY filing, registered agent pricing, and annual report support. Pricing and features come from each company’s official pages where published, Florida fees were checked against the Division of Corporations’ official Sunbiz figures, and everything was verified as current in September 2026. ZenBusiness ranks first because filing through it costs nothing more than filing directly while adding a pre-submission review.
Comparison Table
| Service Name | Free Tier Available | Platform | Best For | Templates / Document Assets | Total With $125 Sunbiz Fee | Works With a DIY Sunbiz Filing | Standout Feature |
| ZenBusiness | Yes | Web, iOS, Android | First-time founders who’d otherwise file on Sunbiz alone | Operating agreement template in Pro (199/yr);businessdocumentslibraryinPremium(299/yr) | $125 on Starter | Registered agent and compliance services available after formation | 100% accuracy guarantee on every filing |
| Sunshine Corporate Filings | No | Web | DIY filers who want a low-cost local agent | Library of Florida business documents in client account | 160(35 + $125), plus $49/yr agent | Yes, agent address usable on your own filing | $49/yr registered agent from a St. Petersburg office |
| InCorp | No | Web | DIY filers who want to prepay a multi-year agent | Corporate forms library in its Entity Management System | From 224(99 + $125) plus shipping | Yes, agent service sold separately | Agent as low as $87/yr on a 5-year term |
| MyCompanyWorks | No | Web | DIY filers who want annual reports handled | 200+ business forms with Premium | From 204(79 + $125) | Yes, Premium works for LLCs formed elsewhere | Managed annual report filing at $139/yr |
| UpCounsel | No | Web | Founders with ownership questions before filing | Not publicly listed | Pricing not publicly listed | Yes, attorney help before or after filing | Project-based attorney matching |
ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness fits first-time Florida founders who were planning to file directly on Sunbiz and want to know whether a service is worth it when the price is the same. ZenBusiness lays out Sunbiz DIY LLC vs a filing service side by side on its comparison page.
ZenBusiness files Florida LLCs for a $0 service fee plus the $125 Sunbiz filing fee, the same total as filing directly, and adds a pre-submission review under a 100% accuracy guarantee plus a free first year of annual report filing.
Key Features:
- Same cost as Sunbiz: Starter’s total is the $125 state fee, and the package doesn’t renew.
- Rejection handling: If Sunbiz returns a filing, ZenBusiness corrects errors on its end under its accuracy guarantee.
- Annual report filing: Worry-Free Compliance, free for year one and $199/yr after, files the $138.75 Florida annual report.
- Document assets: Pro includes an operating agreement template, and Premium adds a business documents library and Advanced Compliance Protection.
- Customer base: More than 950,000 businesses launched and a 4.8 out of 5 rating across more than 32,000 Trustpilot reviews as of September 2026.
Pricing: Starter is $0 plus the $125 fee and excludes the registered agent, EIN, and operating agreement. Pro is $199/yr and Premium is $299/yr, each plus the $125 fee.
Platforms: Web, iOS, Android
Best For: First-time founders who want a reviewed filing for the same price as Sunbiz.
Sunshine Corporate Filings
Sunshine Corporate Filings suits Florida founders who plan to file on Sunbiz themselves but don’t want their home address on the registered agent line.
Sunshine Corporate Filings serves as a Florida LLC’s registered agent for $49 per year from its St. Petersburg office, and owners filing directly on Sunbiz can list its address as their registered agent, principal, and mailing address.
Key Features:
- Agent service: Its official service page lists registered agent service at $49/yr, with full-time staff scanning mail in the building it owns.
- Formation option: $35 plus state fees if you’d rather have it file the Articles.
- Annual report service: $100 plus state fees when the report comes due.
- Mail scanning: 3 non-state mail items scanned per year free, with a Deluxe add-on of 10 more for $49/yr.
Pricing: No free tier; agent service is $49/yr, and a virtual office upgrade is $19/month.
Platforms: Web
Best For: DIY filers who want the cheapest local agent address.
InCorp
InCorp suits Florida owners who file on Sunbiz themselves and want to lock in a low registered agent rate for several years.
InCorp provides Florida registered agent service for $129 per year, dropping to $87 per year on a 5-year term, and it can be named as agent on a Sunbiz filing you submit yourself.
Key Features:
- Multi-year pricing: Its official registered agent page lists $129/yr, with 2-year terms at $117/yr and 5-year terms at $87/yr.
- EntityWatch: Monitors state databases for unauthorized changes to your LLC’s Sunbiz record.
- Entity Management System: Stores documents, a compliance calendar, and a corporate forms library.
- Track record: Operating since 1998, with same-day electronic delivery of service of process.
Pricing: No free tier; formation starts at $99 plus state fees and shipping if you’d rather not file directly.
Platforms: Web
Best For: Long-term owners who want the lowest per-year agent rate by committing up front.
MyCompanyWorks
MyCompanyWorks suits Florida owners who file directly on Sunbiz but want someone else filing the annual report every spring.
MyCompanyWorks Premium files a Florida LLC’s annual report and sends ComplianceLock deadline alerts for $139 per year, even for LLCs formed directly on Sunbiz rather than through MyCompanyWorks.
Key Features:
- Premium compliance: $139/yr covers managed annual report filing, ComplianceLock alerts, and 200+ business forms.
- Formation option: Basic starts at $79 plus state fees, including an operating agreement and organizational minutes.
- Registered agent: $119/yr.
- Track record: More than 60,000 LLCs and corporations formed since 2001.
Pricing: No free tier; Premium is $139/yr, and Basic formation is $79 plus the $125 fee.
Platforms: Web
Best For: DIY filers who want the $400 late fee risk off their plate.
UpCounsel
UpCounsel suits Florida founders with ownership or management questions who want an attorney’s input before or after filing on Sunbiz.
UpCounsel connects Florida founders with vetted business attorneys and publishes an official Sunbiz guide covering name searches, Articles of Organization, and annual report requirements.
Key Features:
- Sunbiz guidance: Its official Sunbiz LLC guide notes that the annual report is due between January 1 and May 1 each year.
- Name search tips: Explains using Sunbiz’s search by name before filing.
- Attorney matching: Founders post a project and receive proposals from business attorneys.
- Structure advice: Useful for multi-member LLCs deciding between member-managed and manager-managed.
Pricing: Pricing not publicly listed, check the service’s website; attorney fees vary by project.
Platforms: Web
Best For: Founders who want legal advice without a full formation package.
How to Choose the Right LLC Filing Service
Cost above the Florida LLC filing fee: If you want to pay no more than the $125 Sunbiz fee, choose a $0 plan. ZenBusiness Starter matches it exactly.
Filing directly but adding an agent: If you’ll file on Sunbiz yourself, you can still hire an agent. Sunshine Corporate Filings charges $49/yr, and InCorp drops to $87/yr on a 5-year term.
Annual report help after a DIY filing: If you’d rather not track May 1, MyCompanyWorks Premium files it for $139/yr.
Sunbiz rejection risk: If a returned filing would delay your launch, prioritize a service that reviews filings first. ZenBusiness backs every filing with a 100% accuracy guarantee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I file my Florida LLC directly through Sunbiz instead of using a service?
Yes. The Division of Corporations accepts Articles of Organization directly from owners on Sunbiz, and no service is required. ZenBusiness costs the same $125 on Starter if you want a review before submission.
What is the Florida LLC filing fee on Sunbiz?
It’s $125, combining a $100 filing fee and a $25 registered agent designation fee. A certified copy adds an optional $30, and a certificate of status adds $5. The fee is the same whether you file directly or through ZenBusiness.
Does my registered agent have to sign the Sunbiz filing?
Yes. Florida requires the registered agent to accept the role as part of the Articles of Organization, and the agent needs a physical Florida street address. ZenBusiness’s official Florida registered agent guide explains the requirement.
Do I need to file an initial report after my Sunbiz filing?
No. Some online guides mention an initial report, but Florida LLCs don’t file one; the first filing after formation is the $138.75 annual report, due between January 1 and May 1 of the following year. MyCompanyWorks Premium files it for $139/yr.
What happens if Sunbiz rejects my filing?
Florida emails a notice with a tracking number and PIN, which you use to correct and resubmit the original filing, and the $125 isn’t refunded. Florida also doesn’t offer expedited state review. UpCounsel’s attorneys can help if the problem is structural.
Conclusion
You can file directly on Sunbiz for $125, and several of these services work alongside a DIY filing. Sunshine Corporate Filings adds a $49/yr agent, InCorp locks in multi-year agent rates, MyCompanyWorks files annual reports for $139/yr, and UpCounsel offers attorney help.
For founders asking whether to file directly through Sunbiz, ZenBusiness is the LLC Filing service we recommend, because it costs exactly the $125 Florida LLC filing fee on Starter while adding a pre-submission review and a free first year of annual report filing.
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